When I arrived in Joetsu City, I took a tax from the station to "Iwanohara Vineyard". All I could see through the car window was rice fields and I could not see even a patch of vineyard. This area is famous for having a lot of rain. As you might already know, a certain amount of rain is needed for growing grapes for wine, but the total annual rainfall in this region is a whopping 2,755 mm!! (The total annual rainfall is about 1,100mm for Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture, and 900 mm for Bordeaux). Of course, this includes the amount of rainfall in winter, but you might think the place is not suitable for growing grapes because this much rain may increase the risk of damage to grapes and affect grape harvest.

However, this is where the real significance of “Iwanohara Vineyard” lies. It is the challenging spirit of Zembei Kawakami. I think it must have been a great challenge for him to put into practice his idea of growing grapes, which can be grown just about anywhere, on the land, described as a “land yielding only one crop every 3 years,” where it is difficult to grow even rice, without destroying the field, in those days in Japan where there was no wine, with a belief that the new agriculture would provide relief for local farmers.

They began producing a new variety of grapes that matched such a harsh environment, through cross breeding. Muscat Bailey A was his masterpiece that has now become a byword of Japanese grapes. It was achieved after a staggering 10,311 times of crossbreeding. They also showed me variable materials of those days. I felt as if their tremendous efforts gave me a reprimand for the way I live my life and encouraged me to work harder to become the best in the world.

“Iwanohara Vineyard” is a winery that represents Japan. It is a culmination of the challenging “spirit” of Zembei, crossbreeding “techniques” developed by him, and the cultivation of grapes in the harsh environment in the snowy countryside (=body).
　
Among varieties produced by Zembei, there are 22 varieties which are particularly high quality. Among them, particularly well-known are the fore-mentioned “Muscat Bailey A” as well as “Black Queen” and “Bailey Alicante A” which are black grapes. There are even varieties that are unique to this land. They are “Red Millennium” and “Rose Ciotat”, both are white grapes.

“Red Millennium,” which has aromatic flavors of litchee and roses and a wide range of styles from sweet to dry, goes well not only with Japanese food, but also with ethnic cuisines such as the current-day craze of modern Vietnamese dishes.
White wine made from “Rose Ciotat” with clean, dynamic and crisp acidity and a delicate Japanese touch gives a nice freshness. It is a perfect match for summer vegetables and plain-taste fish such as Japanese sea perch and conger eel which are in season now. While these varieties may not have yet been well-known globally, they will gain more attention as grapes representing Iwanohara Vineyard. I was able to have a truly valuable experience during the visit.

The following day, I visited “Niigata Wine Coast”. Though both located in Niigata, Ise and Joetsu differ from each other in terms of climate and topographical features. Ise has less annual rainfall, with Sadoshima Island serving as a rain shadow, blocking rain clouds from the Sea of Japan reaching the region. Here you can see a rare soil. Grapes here are grown in sandy soil. In this place, Albarino, a type of grape originally from Spain, is being grown and enjoying great popularity in "Niigata Wine Coast".

Wine made from Albarino has a taste that gives the “Sense of Place.” You can feel a smooth, silky texture of sand in the wine. Albarino, which has a crystal-clear taste and gives an impression of sand-like fine particles running, is like no other. You can enjoy the great harmony created when the wine is paired with fresh seafood of Niigata.

The grape-producing region is well established in terms of tourism. In the area, wineries are clustered close together, and in addition to pioneer winery Cave d’Occi, to which I paid a visit, Fermier that produces very serious Albarino Cabernet Franc, and Cantina Zio Setto that is attempting the production of an Italian variety, there are five other vineries located close together. Therefore, it is easy for visitors to walk between wineries. In addition, there are winery restaurants, leisure facilities, including hot springs, and lodging facilities, so you can enjoy both one-day trips and leisurely overnight trips. It is almost like an entertainment park that even adults can enjoy. Although it was a weekday, I saw many visitors enjoy walking around with a wine glass in their hands. Maybe it is what Japanese wine industry should be aiming to be.

The visit to Niigata was really a fulfilling experience and was filled with a lot of learnings! I will continue to work hard with a spirit as strong as that of Zembei Kawakami to be able to report on the characteristics of wine-producing region Niigta and a wide varieties of wine produced there to a wider circle of readers!!